Through the Void
by Xaron Sharptail
Summary: It was just reconnaissance, nothing dangerous. An unidentified anomaly around Sauria needed investigating due to it's strange energy signatures. An easy task for the famed Star Fox team, right? That is...until things go horribly wrong. Powerless, lost in space, and with paranoia lurking in the distance, will they make it out alive, or suffer a terrible fate?


Author's notes: Right, this marks my beginning as a writer on this website. Beta-read by the amazing Cpt. Fox, which I'm really thankful for as it helped me a lot and made this much better, I hope the beginning of this, hopefully, somewhat nerve wrecking journey isn't too disappointing.

Sorry if you stumble upon some odd wording, English isn't my native language after all.

So, here goes

Chapter one – A perfect morning

000

A very distant and very annoying sound could be heard through the noise in his head, but right now he was far too caught up to really notice it. Too many things were going on right now. He saw a lot, heard a lot. At one moment blaster fire rang all around his head. The next moment volleys of explosions blew everything apart that was near him, and the next moment again his arwing was being shot to pieces. And then, just like that, everything was pitch black and a familiar blue face appeared right before his eyes. It ever so slowly drew closer and closer to him and all the noises seemed to die down. One annoying sound after the other went away as the face of a certain sapphire vixen came nearer. Soon their muzzles were only an inch or two apart…but one annoying sound persisted, becoming louder and louder. And as quick as she came the vixen disappeared…and everything went dark.

His eyes shot open and he let out a groan of annoyance. He swung his arm up on the table beside his bed and silenced the alarm that once again had ruined his dreams. He didn't like dreams where everything went to hell, but he loved the ones about the blue vixen. It seemed like every time he was dreaming about her the alarm just had to make a move. It wouldn't bother him as much when he dreamt about pain and death, but as soon as the focus was on her he would always be pulled out of his fantasy too fast. He hated it, but there wasn't much he could do about it.

_I swear I'm gonna lose it if this goes on._ _I can live with dreaming about her, for now at least, but to be teased like that every single time? That just sucks._

The thing was, this had been happening ever since she got on board on the ship. Well, that was only nearly two weeks ago and everyone was still getting used to her, but those dreams felt like an eternity.

_I feel like crap...maybe a shower will help calm my mind a bit._

He let out a sigh and slowly began to rise from his bed. The empty air around him felt cool against his bare torso and he quickly noticed his head was feeling rather heavy for some reason. He placed his feet on the floor and just sat on his bed, elbows on his legs and head in his hands.

He was in deep thought. The usual morning routine was getting out of hand. He had very often dreamt about war and horrific moments but it never bothered him too much. He never liked it, true, but it was what he found usual. But now, now that the vixen was practically haunting his dreams it was slowly eating away at him. Messing him up bit by bit. Maybe it was just because of all these new things. After all, those things only just did start near two weeks ago so maybe getting used to it was all it took.

He looked at the clock: 7.14 am. Figuring he better not waste too much time he rose up into a standing position, stretching his legs and arms free of sleep. Afterward he went over to his closet and found a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt with the Star Fox logo on it, before taking out a pair of socks as well as a towel. Finally he put on his watch, having countless amazing features including the team's communicator, and then jumped into the black pair of sweat pants he always wore when he didn't feel like getting dressed properly. They also proved very handy for his journeys to the showers in the morning. At this time on a lazy day he doubted anyone would be up, but he'd wear them just in case.

Not wasting any more time he walked across his room and opened the door, heading for the ship's washroom. Just as he closed the door behind him though, he heard a noise in the kitchen. Forgetting what he'd originally been doing he decided to check it out. As he drew near the end of the empty hallway the sound of something being poured into a glass reached his ears, and he rounded the corner with his gaze locked onto the kitchen in anticipation.

"Krystal! You're up already?" he managed to say after just a few seconds of taking in and admiring her form.

She was gorgeous, that much was obvious. She was wearing the red jogging pants and black t-shirt he had given her the day after her arrival. It wasn't much but it was all he could find for her at that time. He had to admit they looked amazing on her though. Still, such a sight left him thinking that he needed to get her something better.

She turned around and smiled at him. "Hey Fox! Yeah, I woke up a while ago and couldn't seem to fall asleep again" she replied. He managed to catch her beautiful sapphire gaze looking him up and down and before long he saw the amused look in her eyes. "Judging by your appearance, didn't you end up in the wrong room?" she said with a playful smile on her lips. He looked down at himself, still wearing nothing but his black sweat pants and carrying his other clothes and the towel, only just now remembering of what he had actually set out to do. Instantly his face starting burning and a deep blush appeared on his cheeks.

"Oh, uh...yeah, you know...I was just...you know. I don't know. I think I was on the way to, uh, take a shower when I heard something in here" he managed to stutter nearly every word out, leaving the vixen to giggle as he mentally slapped himself.

_**Oh come on Fox, are you serious?**_

Since she came aboard the Great Fox, Krystal had noticed Fox always got a bit weird around her. And she loved it. "You _THINK_ you were on the way to take a shower?" she kept teasing him. He blushed even more. "Well, you know, yeah. Something like that." He managed to say, still mentally punishing himself.

_**Damnit you, pull yourself together, will you? You sound like a rambling idiot.**_

Another, louder, giggle came from the vixen and as a result the vulpine blushed even more. "So, uhm, what're you having for breakfast?" he finally managed to ask.

"Just some cereal as usual" she answered, still smiling and harboring an amused and playful look in her eyes. If he didn't know better he would say she wasn't done yet. It seemed like she enjoyed teasing him like this and, quite frankly, so did he.

"How about you?"

"Oh I'm going for some cereal as well. As always."

"Are you now?"

"Yeah, uh, it's what I like the most for breakfast. It's what I've always had. Well, not always, there have been a few occasions where I had something else but, you know what I mean."

Once again he issued himself a mental kick as he realized just how stupid he was sounding, rambling on and talking like a fool. The vixen just kept giggling though, enjoying the sight before her.

_**Jesus Christ...**_

"Shouldn't you go take that shower though, or are you gonna hang around like that?" she asked him, pointing at his clothes and the towel in his arms.

"Oh, uh, yeah. I'll go take a shower. So, I'll catch you later!" he replied and a slight giggle was heard from the vixen.

"Sure, see ya around."

The vulpine turned around and left the kitchen. He was burning hot despite the tranquil, cool air that ran through the ship. His head was in a panic after the encounter and countless thoughts were racing through his mind.

_Oh man..._

000

Krystal couldn't help but think the scenario through over and over again. She loved the way he acted around her, and when she was feeling extra playful she could use it to her advantage and make everything a little brighter, and much more colourful, just like now. Sure, it might be a little rude towards him. Sometimes she even felt bad, she sometimes felt like it might have been a little over the top. But he never seemed any less positive and funny afterward. If she was to guess she would say he actually enjoyed it. Of course, being a Cerinian, she could always probe his mind and figure it out but that took away from the fun. Well, maybe she could take a quick look inside his head to make sure he didn't feel horrible. But she was sure he enjoyed it and she sure loved it.

Although, if nothing else, she couldn't help but notice his musculature.

_I haven't seen him without anything on his upper body ever since we met. I knew he was strong, and handsome to say the least, but I really didn't expect THAT. I mean, he looks incredible in his fur! That chest, those arms...everything! Most definitely military grade and well taken care of._

Snapping herself back to reality she noticed she was still holding the empty glass in her hand. She slightly cleaned it with a bit of water and put it in the sink, before reaching and opening a drawer, finding a bowl for her breakfast.

_Come on, I shouldn't think like that. I mean, he saved my life, sure, but he's the leader of a mercenary team, not to mention an icon to the entire Lylat system! Yeah, he's famous all around for saving the galaxy, but still leading a team of mercenaries. I'm on his ship doing what crew members do. His rules are the ones that count. Besides, I'm not sure there should even be anything between leaders and those below them other than trust. He's the leader here and I should think of him as such. _

She felt funny nonetheless though. The sight of him like that, incredible form and humorous looking at the same time, it just gave her a funny feeling in her stomach. Something like that was sure to make her day, even if she still wasn't sleeping very well.

_I'm not used to being up in space. I mean, every now and then my room is constantly facing Lylat and that really takes some getting used to in order to sleep. I can live with Solar as it's much smaller and dimmed, but Lylat? It's gonna take a while._

_Oh well, Fox always finds a way to make my day, somehow. I bet my whole day was just made from our little encounter before, and it's only 7.25 or something in the morning. _

She let out sigh as she found some cereal from the cupboard and poured it in her bowl.

_He's a great guy. Really. I'm not sure what it is but there's just something about him. I wonder what he's thinking right now. _

_**You know, you could just...**_

_No, I won't. I know I can read his mind, but I won't. It's just rude._

000

Fox walked slowly back down the hall as he thought about what had just happened. Needless to say, he kept kicking himself in his mind. He felt like a complete idiot.

_Why can't I just do something right when I'm near her? _

For some reason though, part of him enjoyed it. He could easily see how amused she was when things like that happened. And he loved it when she was feeling good. Really, as long as she was amused by it, as she most likely always would, he could live with it. A small grin was forming on his face and he started laughing slightly for himself.

_But I have to admit she'll be the death of me if she keeps it up_

Then, as if to mimic his thoughts, something like that almost happened.

Suddenly his vision went dark for a few seconds, he felt a blunt pain on his face and noticed he was falling behind to the ground on his back with a rough thud. After a few moments of fighting to find reality he looked up and saw a blue avian standing over him with a confused look on his face.

"Dude, what'cha doing down there? Are you blind or something? You'd think after being in so many dogfights and battles you'd be able to spot a door being opened."

Falco's voice rang through the emptiness of the hallway. So, after collecting his thoughts, he managed to figure out he'd apparently been so lost in thought he hadn't seen Falco open the door to his room right in front of his face.

"Unghh, blurgh, what?" came the groggy response from the vulpine. His eyes were sailing all over, clearly confused.

"Any reason you wanted to walk right into my door?" came the reply

"Oh, sorry. I guess I was tired and didn't notice it."

"Figures."

Fox started collecting himself and slowly rose back up on his feet. Noticing he had dropped all his things on the way down he started picking them up.

"Actually, I was heading for the shower. So, just a coincidence that you opened your door just as I passed? It's quite hard to believe you'd be up this early on a lazy day" he asked the avian.

"Yeah, well, I'm gonna grab a bite to eat. Believe me, if it was an option I wouldn't have got up...but I'm hungry."

"Sure, I get that. Well, see ya around."

"Catch you later Foxie. Now don't slip on the bathroom floor." the avian teased.

"Whatever, Falco." The vulpine answered, already moving towards the bathroom.

_You know, I only just got up and things are already going to hell. That's just great. Well, let's just focus on getting a shower now. I think I deserve that._

He walked the last bit down the hall, turned around the corner, and stepped through the door to the bathroom, closing and locking the door after him. Looking forward to the actual shower, he dropped his things on the floor and placed the towel in front of the shower and turned it on, waiting for the water to get warm, slipping from his clothes as he waited.

_This is gonna be great_, he thought to himself as he let out a sigh.

Soon the water was comfortably warm and he stepped in. As soon as it hit him he could feel himself relaxing, letting out a deep sigh as all the tension seemed to leave his body. He couldn't help but shudder as everything calmed down. But it wasn't long before his thoughts went back to Krystal.

_She's amazing. She's only been here for almost two weeks but she's adapted so well. It's almost as if she's been here forever. Okay, she still doesn't wanna talk about her past, where she came from, how her family is, and all that. But I understand that, this whole thing is still new to her. Sure, she was pretty shy in the beginning, but the way we welcomed her and made her feel at home seemed to help her settle in rather quickly. I mean, she's getting back at Falco, teasing Slippy, talking about everything with Peppy...not to mention turning me into a wreck every time we meet. _

He couldn't hold back a smile and a light laugh as he thought that, reminding himself of the countless times she had already left him with a clearly burning blush and feeling like an idiot.

_Well, I can't say I mind it though. Hell, I love it. I have to admit, there's something special about her. First of all, there's the way she looks. That stunningly beautiful shape, perfect in every way, every curve. Her paralyzing sapphire gaze, her cute smile, lovely bangs. Honestly, what's not to love about that? And what's more, her personality is just...it can't be described. As if she wasn't perfect enough her personality tops it all off! Kind, sensitive, thoughtful, modest..._

_**What's that Fox? Falling for the new girl, are you?**_

_What?! Of course not. She's on board the ship, a crew member…but…not officially a part of the team. I'm not even sure if that kind of relationship would be a good idea. Not that I had any plans on something like that. But damn, she's just as perfect as perfect can be_

_**Whatever you say.**_

The vulpine's mind kept racing over Krystal. It was more than obvious to him that he just couldn't get her out of his head. His thoughts were battling it out while the warm, comforting water ran down his body.

Deciding he had spent enough time doing nothing in the shower, and feeling comfortably relaxed, he went onto washing himself and finishing up. Soon after he stepped out of the shower and picked up his towel, starting to dry himself, only then to realize something wasn't right. He looked around trying to figure out what it was. It wasn't easy, it was morning after all, and with all the things that had happened already his mind simply couldn't focus.

And then it hit him like a hammer…and he felt incredibly stupid. There was nothing to do about it now though, and he could cover it up easily enough, he just hoped he could get to his room without any interference. He had accidentally, completely without realizing it, tossed his underwear down the laundry chute and they were now far out of reach.

"You've got to be kidding me. This is just not my day." he sighed.

He shrugged and finished drying up. Figuring he should get back to his room as soon as possible to get a new pair of underwear, he jumped back into his black sweat pants and put on his t-shirt and watch. He threw his, now wet, towel down the laundry chute and picked up the rest of his clothes. Unlocking the door before opening it, he stepped out of the bathroom and imagined himself going around the corner, up the hallway, and into his room without any trouble.

But of course fate wouldn't have it that way.

He had only just gotten around the corner before he nearly bumped right into, surprise surprise, the blue vixen that he had been thinking about so much.

They both let out a slight yelp as they almost collided, the vulpine blushing as he realized who it was. "Oh! Krystal, you're there?"

"So it would seem" she replied with a slight giggle. "I was looking for you, actually."

"Uh, you were?"

"Yeah, I wanted to ask you something."

"Oh uh, sure, go ahead." He managed to reply. He was more than happy to help her in any way, make no mistake, but right now, in his current state, he mostly just wanted to get some underwear on!

"Okay uhm, I was wondering if you could, maybe, help me practice some combat. Not that I don't know how to fight, I just figured my skills would need some polishing and practice. You know, just in case."

For once it actually seemed like _SHE_ was on the nervous side, with her being in the low end this time and Fox being superior. He was, after all, the best of them all when it came to combat, and they both knew it.

"Oh! Well, sure, we can do that sometime. Actually, uh, I'd love to. You never really know what could happen, right?"

Even in his commanding position he had trouble with everything when he was around her. He still couldn't think straight, and as always it amused the vixen who could so easily see the nervousness that quickly built up inside him. She giggled lightly at his comment which made the vulpine blush.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. So it's a deal then?"

"Uh, yeah, I'll see when we can get some time for it."

"Great! Well, I can see you aren't done yet so I'm gonna go get lazy. I'll see you around."

"Sure! See you soon."

As the vixen walked away he let out a sigh of relief.

_I'm glad she didn't drag me off somewhere. I mean, usually I wouldn't mind it, at all, but with my lack of clothing I'm not sure it would be the best idea._

Looking at her as she turned her back to him, heading for the lounge, he was once again reminded of how gorgeous she was, and he had to admit those clothes of his that she was wearing didn't hurt the least. He couldn't help but look over her backside as she walked, her tail flicking from side to side. Perfect shape, perfect curves, perfect sway, perfect everything.

_**Oh stop it you idiot. Just get your damn underwear on.**_

Just then his stomach growled loudly.

_And maybe I should get some breakfast too..._

He went up to the door to his room, he touched the keypad and opened it up before stepping inside. Wasting no time he pulled off his sweat pants and went to his closet for a new pair of underwear. Finding them soon enough he put them on, followed by his jeans, and lastly his socks.

_Right, danger's over with. Now to get something to eat before my stomach goes crazy._

The thought came a little too late though, and just then his stomach started growling like there was no tomorrow, giving him a slightly sick feeling as it cried for food. Quickly he opened his door and started down the hallway for the kitchen. Nothing to get in his way anymore. Or so he hoped.

000

Author's notes: And so it begins, calm and casual. Yeah, not a lot is happening, but this is just to get everything set. A lot more is going to happen later on, don't worry. I hope you can live with a chapter like this now and then. Again, a big thank you to Cpt. Fox for beta-reading and giving me some good advice.

Oh and, if you're confused, when Krystal was thinking about Lylat ("…my room is constantly facing Lylat.") it's about the star, not the system. Just to get that cleared up.


End file.
